It’s not a mystery to anyone who knows me that I’m not Southern California’s biggest fan. I fancy myself a woman that would fit in perfectly in the deep South. Large plantation shutters, slower lifestyle, no Blackberrys, all-day lemonade and long, drawn-out conversations, on my wrap around porch.

That’s much more my style.

Last evening we joined friends for dinner and while we were waiting for them to box up our leftover fajitas and for the husbands to pay the bill, a revealing conversation began (isn’t that when all great conversations start? Just when you have 3 restless children, needing to go to bed and a waiter waiting for you to leave your table). How it came up, I have no idea, but within 3 minutes, both my friend and I were sharing how we longed to leave Southern California. Not in the “I hate So Cal” kind of way, but more of the “general discontent with the lifestyle” variety.

We played verbal tennis, shooting reasons back and forth about why we would want to leave. There were plenty of reasons shared and enough realistic to solicit a move. We both agreed that moving would be the easiest part.

All through the conversation, the phrase, “Bloom Where You Are Planted” kept creeping through my mind. It was quite annoying, to tell you the truth. Besides being kinda kitschy, it’s never something I say or share with others. It’s not a cliche statement I email often, so why was it there? The more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s purpose. I totally got it-in fact, for the first time last evening, I embraced it.

I have been placed in California. Southern California.

God has selected this to be our home for the time being and while I tend to think I know best, intuitively I know that the Lord doesn’t make mistakes.

He has us embedded in this community, on this street and in this house.

He has us mingling with our neighbors, attending our church and spending time with the dear friends we have made here.

We live here for a purpose and this purpose won’t and shouldn’t be wasted because it’s for a divine reason.

Believing that God has a reason for what He does, I can only assume that there is a reason we are here and hereis where we will remain until HE gives us a reason to leave. Not until I find one.

Otherwise, imagine all of the wonderful opportunities I would be wasting. Imagine the friendships I would be saying goodbye to and the home we would be driving away from.

Yes, Southern California might not be my very favorite place in the world.

But my LIFE in Southern California is special to me. My friends, family, church, home, community.

They are mine.

And I will Bloom Where I Am Planted.

* * * *

Rachel would like to give each of you the opportunity to help bloom right where you are planted too.

Without even so much as getting dressed, brushing your teeth, or walking out the door, you can give to an ab.so.lut.ely amazing ministry

“Years ago, Don and Laurie Schoendorfer were vacationing in Morocco when they witnessed the plight of a disabled woman struggling to drag herself across a dirt road. Ignored by the crowds and barely evading traffic, the woman’s hardship was a scene the couple would be unable to forget upon their return to life in southern California.”

Talk about blooming where you are planted!!!

It only takes $59.20 to build one of Don’s chairs.

Giving the gift of mobility costs less than a standard trip to Target for me. {I’m wincing at that idea. Ouch.}

As always here at Life.Rearranged, for every dollar you donate to the current fundraiser, you are given one entry to win a fabulous prize!

The more you give, the more chances you have to win!

Start with $5 perhaps? Don’t be overwhelmed at the thought of giving.

Don’t think you have to give the full $59. Give what you can. Give what you want.

I'm a mom to four. A wife to one. I believe in story. I love telling you about mine and would love to hear yours. There's really no sense in wasting our suffering and not sharing in each other's joy. We're all in this together...even if it doesn't always feel like it.

Comments

Hi Rachel!! Just to echo your thoughts about “blooming where we are planted”, I wanted to share a verse that got me through three years of living in Japan (not that Japan is bad, just FAR away from family) It’s Acts 17:26 & 27:
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
That verse was so encouraging to me; we do have a place and a purpose! Thanks for sharing!!

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